Guidelines & Prizes

Prizes

Every student who enters into the Science Fair will receive a Certificate Of Participation. In addition, a number of prizes, trophies and medals are also available for the be projects.

By Year

Prizes are awarded to the top three projects in each of the year groups. These groups are Years 3 & 4, Years 5 & 6, Years 7 & 8, Years 9 & 10, and Years 11 & 12. Each winning student will get a trophy, but prize money is awarded to the project and shared between students e.g. if a project with three students wins first place, each student will get $100 and a trophy.

First Place: Trophy and $300

Second Place: Trophy and $200

Third Place: Trophy and $100

By Category

Prizes are also awarded to outstanding projects in particular subject areas. These awards are not year-specific and can be won by any project. Each winning student will get a trophy, but prize money is awarded to the project and shared between students. The categories are:

Biology: Trophy and $300

Chemistry: Trophy and $300

Earth and Environmental Sciences: Trophy and $300

Engineering: Trophy and $300

Mathematics: Trophy and $300

Medicine and Health: Trophy and $300

Physics: Trophy and $300

Technology: Trophy and $300

Innovation Reports: Trophy and $300 (individual students only)

Highly Commended Projects

The best runners up will receive a Highly Commended Certificate and medal.

For Innovation Reports

These prizes – for innovative students proposing science-based solutions to real-world problems – are sponsored by gemaker, a commercialisation consultancy helping research organisations and businesses take new technologies, products and services to market.

Two (2) gemaker Innovation Prizes will be awarded: to the best primary school Innovation Report and the best secondary school Innovation Report. Only one entry in each category is permitted per school. The individual student author of each winning report will receive a trophy and $300.

UOW Illawarra Coal Science Fair 2017 Competition Guidelines

The closing date for submission of completed and signed Entry Forms is 5pm Wednesday 8 November 2017 at UOW.

Each school can enter up to 10 Science Fair Projects, which may be Innovation Reports and/or Science Posters.

Science Fair Mentors will normally make up to two (2) visits to schools as part of their preparation for the Science Fair.

Each Science Fair project entry can have a maximum of three (3) students and a minimum of one (1) student involved in its production. Each Innovation Report must have only one (1) student author, and only one (1) entry in each category (primary and secondary) is permitted per school..

Only students who were directly involved in the project (max 3) are permitted to attend the Science Fair.|

Each student participating in the Science Fair must submit a completed and signed Entry Form.

Each school should nominate a supervising teacher to accompany their students on the day of the Science Fair.

Only participating students, supervising teachers, Science Fair staff and judges are permitted to enter the Science Fair during judging.

Parents and members of the public are able to view the projects displayed at the Science Fair in the UOW Sports Hub after 12.30pm once judging is completed.

Parents and members of the public are welcome to attend the Awards Ceremony from 2pm in the University Hall.

Students should display their completed project on a Tri-Fold Corrugated Display Board (122cm x 91.4cm) made from sturdy cardboard.

Each school can enter up to 10 display boards into the Science Fair. Boards are available from Print and Distribution Services at the University at a cost of $4 per board excluding GST. For more information or to order please contact:Max ChiodoGeneral Manager Print and Distribution Services 13 Waynote Place | Unanderra NSW 2526 University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia T +61 2 4239 5111 F +61 2 4271 7412 E max@uow.edu.au

Students can decorate the display board by drawing, pasting pictures, covering with fabric or painting the background. Avoid using excessive amounts of watery paint. This may cause the board to warp and lose its shape.

Each Project will have an allocated desk for display. Students may bring along a table cloth to cover the desk. Students can also display small items relevant to the project, on the desk in front of the project board. Students are not permitted to bring any object that cannot fit on the desk and no items will be permitted on the floor near the desk.

Students are not permitted to conduct experiments during the Science Fair. All experiments are to be conducted prior to the event and discussed in the text of the Project display.

Students are not permitted to bring live animals to the Science Fair.

Students wishing to bring a laptop must ensure it is battery operated as no power cords will be permitted for student laptops. No responsibility will be taken for loss or damage to a laptop (or other items) during the Science Fair.

All students who participate in the Science Fair will receive a Certificate of Participation which will be posted to their school.

Major prize winners will receive a certificate, trophy and a monetary prize. First Place: $300; Second Place: $200; Third Place: $100. Prize money is to be shared amongst team projects. Highly Commended Medallions will be presented to runners up. For Innovation Reports, two prize winners (one primary school winner and one secondary school winner) will each receive a trophy and $300.

Approximately 150 judges are involved in the judging process with all projects being judged between four (4) and six (6) times by different judges.

Judges will score projects in five (5) areas: Scientific Processes, Student Explanation, Written Communication, Project Creativity and Project Presentation. Scores are then tallied, averaged and reviewed by a Scientific Review Committee if necessary to determine the winners.

The judging decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.